It's not all committee hearings, floor speeches and studying thousands of pages of proposed legislation for state lawmakers.

Thanks to lobbyists dropping thousands of dollars on behalf of their clients, legislators and frequently their staff, spouses and other state officials get invited to a lot of parties, meals and receptions during a session in Santa Fe.

The first "48 hour" reports for lobbyists are starting to trickle in to the Secretary of State's Office. By law, during a legislative session, lobbyists are required to report expenditures larger than $500 within 48 hours of the spending.

Nobody, at least in recent years, has accused any New Mexico legislator of changing a vote because of a good meal or free drink paid for by a lobbyist. Lobbyists themselves say the value to their clients in hosting such events is building relationships with legislators.

As of Wednesday, four reports of events for legislators had been submitted:

• $6,051 for a "meet and greet" at the Inn at Loretto on Jan. 18 paid for by Scott Smart, a lobbyist for Eastern New Mexico University. According to the report, guests included "various legislators" and their staff, staff from the Legislative Finance Committee and staff from the university.

• $6,000 for a "legislative dinner" at La Posada on Jan. 18, paid for by Presbyterian Health Plan. According to the report, invited guests included "all legislators," the governor, the lieutenant governor, the state Medicaid director and the secretary of the Human Services Department.

• $3,199 for a legislative reception by the National Education Association at its building on Botulph Road on Jan. 18. Invited were legislators and their staff, the governor and her staff, and association members.

• $1,297 for a Jan. 18 breakfast at La Fonda paid for by Kent Cravens -- until late last year a state senator, now a lobbyist for the New Mexico Oil & Gas Association. According to the report, all legislators were invited to the breakfast, which had the stated purpose "to educate legislators on oil and gas drilling in northern NM."

More lobbyist reports should be flowing in during the days to come. The "social calendar" on the Legislature's website shows events planned virtually every weeknight of the session.

If tradition holds, as the session wears on and committee meetings get later and later, many lobbyists will pay to have dinner delivered to certain committees.

Gov. Susana Martinez has called for legislation prohibiting legislators from becoming lobbyists for at least two years after leaving office. However, when asked by The New Mexican on Wednesday, she said she didn't think there should be stricter limits on what lobbyists are allowed to spend on legislators.

"You just have to make sure that a legislator isn't influenced by the fact that they might have a free meal in front of them or a glass of wine or a beer, whatever it is," Martinez said. "We have to remember who we work for every day. And just because there happens to be a legislative appreciation party, if you're a good upstanding legislator, it shouldn't impact you. You should still vote on the facts and evidence that's presented before you and whether it's a good bill or not a good bill. But never be swayed because someone gives you a gift, or, you know, a free meal."

Under the state Gift Act, which regulates presents bestowed upon lawmakers, lobbyists are not permitted to give items valued at more than $250 to individual legislators.

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com. Read his political blog at roundhouseroundup.com.